Chocolate is one of the most eaten sweets all over the world, people eat it directly in the shape of bars, use it in baked eateries like brownies, cakes & pastries, drink it in the form of chocolate smoothies and hot chocolate, and consume it through various other ways. Thus, people love chocolate no matter. Swiss chocolates are famous for their classy taste all over the world. Chocolate is manufactured from cocoa seeds that are usually obtained from forests of Africa. Chocolate is usually available in two types, one is called the milk chocolate, this one has additives to taste much sweeter than the dark chocolate which is the other type of chocolate. Both types of chocolates are available in the market under the name of different brands. It is a general opinion that chocolate lovers prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate. While milk chocolate is often seen as a hazard to health, dark chocolate on the other side has been found to be beneficial for health in a variety of ways. The dark chocolate recently has earned the status of a superfood as well. Here in this blog, we will take a deeper look at Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate and how it can help you reduce weight. Further details are given below:
Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
As mentioned earlier, Dark Chocolate being the purest form of chocolate is beneficial for health. There are a number of health benefits of chocolate. It is found to be beneficial for the health of the heart and keep it stable and safe from heart attacks. If you are consuming a bar of quality dark chocolate in any form with high cocoa content then you are actually consuming a balanced package of nutrients which is ultimately good for your health. According to nutritional analysis, each 100 g bar of dark chocolate with around 70 to 85% cocoa content includes 11 grams of fibre, and a high quantity of iron, magnesium, copper, manganese. Additionally, it also contains zinc, selenium, potassium, and phosphorus in balanced amounts. Dark chocolate also contains caffeine and theobromine but it is not going to keep you awake like coffee because caffeine is in a very small amount. Many other minerals are also present in dark chocolate as well that will keep your body in good condition. The fatty acid ratio of cocoa and dark chocolate is also excellent for human consumption. Dark chocolate is also found to be beneficial for brain functioning. Dark chocolate also helps improve blood flow in the body and keep your blood pressure in check.
Dark Chocolate for Weight Loss
The dark chocolate contains a high content of antioxidants and has a high ORAC rating. These antioxidants can help the human body convert food into calories instead of fats and increase the rate of digestion. Recent research reports showed that dark chocolate is effective in stalling food cravings and help you feel fuller so you don’t turn towards food to eat more. This can be super effective in your effort for weight loss. You won’t feel hungry and get a feeling of fullness, your food consumption will be lesser per day and you will be much closer to achieving your goal of weight loss. Dark chocolate is found to reduce the levels of ghrelin, the hormone which is responsible to increase the hunger levels in the human body. Additionally, dark chocolate also enhances insulin sensitivity of your body. Insulin is the hormone that shuts sugar out of your bloodstream and directs it into the body cells where sugar is converted to calories that are used to energize the human body. This whole phenomenon can help you reduce the reasons for the increase in the saturation of body fats and gradually increase the process of weight loss.Â
Dark Chocolate Benefits for Skin
The health benefits of dark chocolate are countless and it tends to work positively for different parts of your body separately. It is even beneficial for your skin as well. As discussed earlier, dark chocolate has a high content of antioxidants that stalls radical damage and keep your skin safe. It also helps keep your skin smooth. Dark chocolate also helps in reducing hazardous effects of the sun to your skin and protects your skin from the damage that occurs due to sun and keeps you safe from sunburns and skin cancer. Regular consumption of dark chocolate keeps your skin hydrated and well-nourished and results in problem-free complexion. It also detoxifies your skin effectively and wards off dead skin cells from your skin to make way for new and fresh skin cells. Dark chocolate is also found to be beneficial for keeping stress levels in check which ultimately benefits your skin and allows it to glow properly. Thus, dark chocolates benefit your skin amazingly.
Dark Chocolate Benefits for Men
Dark chocolate has some amazing gender-specific benefits for both men and women. Surprisingly, research studies have shown that men benefit more from dark chocolate as compared to women. For men, dark chocolate tends to improve the blood circulation in the body and keep their blood-pressure levels balanced for better working of the body. It also helps keep the health of the heart in check and saves you from potential heart attacks and other diseases. Men can enjoy a better sex life because of a balanced consumption of dark chocolate on a regular basis. It helps boost the level of nitric acid which improve the blood circulation to sexual organs of men and helps relax blood vessels. Phenylethylamine present in dark chocolate is also known as the love drug, this component boosts the release of dopamine which increase libido and sexual desire, which in turn, results in a better sexual performance.
Dark Chocolate Benefits for Women
Women also benefit a lot from regular consumption of dark chocolate. According to various research studies, women are more prone to health diseases as compared to men, dark chocolate is believed to be extremely beneficial for the health of the heart and helps avoid heart diseases especially heart attacks which is one of the most common reasons of death in American women. Additionally, flavonoids in dark chocolate can keep the skin of women protected from UV rays coming from the sun and help avoid sunburns. It can also enhance the skin glow considerably. Flavonoid is also beneficial against anaemia which is a common disease in women of age groups.
Is Chocolate Good For You?
The only question which will arise in your mind is whether eating dark chocolate in good amount will be beneficial for you? Yes, of course, you will benefit a lot with a ‘balanced consumption’ of dark chocolate on a regular basis. So, if you are consuming dark chocolate in a balanced amount you will benefit a lot with countless health benefits of chocolate. However, over-consumption will definitely affect you. Therefore, it is necessary that you keep your dark chocolate consumption in check and don’t overdo it as it will be hazardous to your health.
The Takeaway
Chocolate can help you stay healthy with its high content of minerals, fibre, and other elements. It can help you stay stress-free and with a healthy heart. It will also benefit your skin greatly. Dark chocolate can help men and women in separate ways. However, all you need to do is keep your dark chocolate consumption well-balanced and you will benefit greatly because of the multiple health benefits of chocolate, especially dark chocolate. Your chocolate cravings are not useless after all, your body knows what is better for eating! Enjoy chocolate but in a balanced way!
